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Tuesday, January 20, 2015

Thoughtful Tuesday : FOMO

I think that no matter where you are in the world, you'll always feel like you're missing out on something. The grass is always greener on the other side - this is only true if you make it so.

When I was younger, I always had this dream of doing bigger and better things than anyone can possibly do. I sometimes sit and daydream about this fabulous life that I was going to have. One thing I always thought constituted a fabulous life was living away in another country, far away from home and having the time of my life. I did get to achieve that for awhile. I got to live a whole year in Paris (which was pretty awesome), and several years after, three months in Singapore (one of the funnest three months of my life!). I did have the most fantastic time in both cities! After I came back from those living abroad stints though, I felt bored and restless and jealous of everyone else.

Facebook was just starting to become popular and it was also becoming a constant annoying little thing in my life because I was seeing all these people having fabulous fun lives and here I was back home not doing much. Why is it that everyone else gets to have fun while I stay in one place and rot? It wasn't fair.

As time passed by however, I began to realize that maybe just maybe not everyone's lives are as fantastic as they seem to be and that maybe they also have this feeling, that wherever they were they too felt like they were missing out on something. After all, back when I was in Paris I also had these moments of feeling a twinge of regret and jealousy when i see friends in Facebook all meeting up at home, having fun at the beach and being all together.

As I grew older, I began to realize that all these petty thoughts are all for naught. I really should not have any reason for having a bad case of FOMO (fear of missing out), I just had to open my eyes and see all the great things happening in my life, right where I am and at the present.

The past year I feel like I have been slowly letting go of my FOMO thoughts and dreams about having a fabulous life. I have just really been trying to live in the moment, spending as much time as I can with friends and loved ones and living life to the fullest. During this time I also realized that I already DO have a pretty fabulous life.

Try to be off social media for awhile, focus on the people you're with and make more of an effort to communicate with your friends and family. Trust me it will help uplift those heavy thoughts and make you realize that being with people you love and enjoy the company of are some of the most important (and best!) things in life.

There's nothing wrong with dreaming big and having goals - but don't let these dreams stop you from living life at the present and being aware of all the good things happening around you right here and right now.

10 comments:

Yes, I can definitely relate! I see people my age on social media who have accomplished to much seem to have their lives so put together, and begin to doubt myself. But I always remind myself to not worry and just live in the present, although it's easier said than done! Thank you for this post. xo

I so love reading your post! You are so true. Funny though, just few days ago I posted this on my facebook page:" Don't spend your time wanting other people's life, instead make the life you have beautiful!"

I tend to call Facebook - Bragbook. I was relating this sentiment to my husband who promptly replied, well, that's the point, isn't it? To brag and tell about how great your life is in comparison to everyone's else's? I mean, do you still have granite countertops if you don't post the pics on FB? Obviously not! Ha. So we just a make it a point to see that our grass is already really green and just be content with who we are and what we do. That helps!

Oh absolutely, there always the thought of FOMO. I really enjoyed reading your post. In fact, I feel the same way. There's nothing wrong in social media unless it affects how we feel right? Facebook is a place that can make one feel that way, but as you wrote, it's not all rosy right.. But, it is tough to block out those feelings, but whatever helps with ignoring that thought can be done. Social media can be very very overwhelming, taking a bit of a break now and then helps.Your Paris image is stunning is amazing. Have a great day my dear.

Oh, I loved this post! My thoughts are pretty much exactly the same as yours! I have gotten the opportunity to live in two different countries abroad (I currently live in Argentina). I get that "grass is always greener" feeling a lot, since all of my friends live in the United States. Sometimes I feel like I am missing out on a lot, and on the other hand, I know there's a lot of people that wish they were in my shoes living abroad. But as you've said, the grass isn't always greener and we've got to live in the moment and appreciate what we have! Of course there will always be pros and cons to living abroad, and in your home country, too!

I can definitely relate to this (FOMO). Sometimes I feel like I have so much work to do, and it gets in the way of me doing things that I want to do. But it's important to try to balance it all and remember to have time for fun and adventure as well.

This is so true! It definitely seems no matter what goals you accomplish, you always want something more. I think in a way it's a good thing though...as humans we should keep on forming goals, keep on discovering, keep seeing how far we can go...I certainly feel I grow that way and I do get bored when I'm stagnant, even if I like where I am ;)